Blindstitch sewing-machine.



No. 731,695. PATENTBD JUNE 23. 1903. J. G. LEWIS.

BLINDSTITGH SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIUATTON FILED 0012.18. 1891. fNo 'MoDm'.. a sums-SHEET 2l.

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J. G. LEWIS;-

Y BLINDSTITGH SEWING MACHINE. APPLIoATIoN FILED ooT.1a, 1,897.

EATENTED JUNE 23, 1903.

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1\r0.'731,e95.fV

wUNITED STATES Patented June 23, 1903.

v PATENT OFFICE.

".IoiIN G. LEWIS, oF sT. IloU'Is, MISSOURI.

BLIND-STITCH SEWING-MACHINE.

SPEQIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 731,695, dated June 23,1903,

Applicationiiled October 18J 189,75 Serial No. 655.519. (No model.) i

i vented a certain new and useful Sewing-Machine, of which the followingis such a full,

clear, and exact descriptionas will enable any one skilled in the art towhich it `appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciiication.

for blindstitching cloth-t'. c., for doing work in which the stitchesshow only on one side of the cloth.

Machines have been constructedheretofore` for making blindstitches onthick materialssuch as leather, straw braid, and the like; but, as faras I am aware, no machine has been made heretofore which woulddolsatisfactory blindstitching on cloth, and larly on thin cloth.

The object of my invention is to provide a blindstitching-machine whichwill work properly on any kind of cloth on which blind-` particustitching can be done by hand and whichI shall be simple of constructionand not liable to get out of orden My invention'consists in thecombination, with a suitablestitch-formingmechanism, of

a normally stationaryback guide-t1 e., a

guide on the back or opposite side of the' cloth from that which theneedle entersand means of holding the work up to said guide and invarious other novel features and de-Y tails of construction, all ofwhich are described in the following specification and needle. Fig. 5 isa top plan view of the back- ;guide and presser-foot and the partscarrying Fig.6isaview similarto Fig. 5, but

thesame. showing the presser-footn a different position. Fi g..7 is aside elevation of the parts in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is asection showing themanner in which the work is held. Fig. 9 is anend viewshowing thefeed-dog and back guide. Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view showing `thepartsactuating the feed-dog. Fig. 1l is an isometric projection of thefeed-dog, and Figs. 12 and 13 are views showing two kinds of work whichcan be done on the machine'.

Like marks of reference refer to similar parts in the 'several views ofthe drawings.

15 is the arm of the machine, which is of the Y Ausual construction andis providedwith the `My invention relates to a sewingfmachine, andmoreparticularlyito a sewing-machine usual mechanism-forireciprocatingthe needle-bar 16 longitudinally. The needle-bar 16 is carried by thesleeve 17, `as is usualin machines in which the needle reciprocates bothlongitudinally and laterally. Pivoted to the sleeve 17 is one end of anextensible connect- 'ing-bar 18, the other end of which is screwed to anoscillating arm 19, as shown on Fig. A3, by a thumb-screw 20, whichpasses through ,the bar into a block 2l, sliding'iu the arm 19. Theextension of the bar 18 is obtained by two screws 22, which pass througha plate 23 and the end part 211 of the bai-into the main part 18. Thearm 19 is pivoted to the machine-arm 15 at the point 25 and is actuatedby suitable cam mechanism in the machinearm.

The-.parts above described are old, and I do not claim the same. Myimprovement in this part of the machine consists in the followingdevices for obtaining accurate adjustment of the parts: On the bar 24 isa lug 27, through which passes a rod 28, on which at each side of thelug is a collar 29. The end of the rod 28 is threaded and enters a lug30 on the bar 18, which is provided with corresponding'internal threads.The rod 28 is provided with a milled head 31, by means of which it canbe rotated. Rotatably secured to the block 21 is a threaded rod 32,which-passes-through a threaded block 33, pivoted'in the topi of the arm19. The block 33 is pivoted to ,allow the slight inclination of the rod`32 when the block 33 moves in the arm 19, which is in the form of anarc of a circle. The rod 32 is provided with a milled head 35, by meansof which it may be rotated.

IOO

To obtain the adjustment in the length of I the connecting-bar, thescrews 22 are loosened and the rod 28 rotated by means of the milledhead 31. When the desired adjustment is obtained, the screws 22 aretightened to lirmly bind the bars 18 and 24 together. To adjust thepoint at which the connecting-bar is attached to the arm 19, thethumb-screw 20 is loosened and the rod 32 rotated by means of the milledhead 35. When the desired adjustment is obtained, the thumb-screw 20 istightened to secure the parts firrnlyin place.

5y means of the above-described devices the required adjustments can heobtained with absolute accu racy,whicl1 cannot be done when the partsare simply loosened and slid in position by hand, as has been doneheretofore.

Secured to the work-plate of the machine is an L-shaped plate 38, towhich is pivoted a plate 39. Carried by the plate 39 is a hollow block40, in which the feed-dog 4l operates. A portion 42 of the plate 39 isbent downwardly and carries a back guide 43. The guide 43 is cylindricalin form and slightly tapering, so as to form a stretching device for thework. The feed-dog 4l is carried by the arm 44. In the arm 44 is a slot45, Fig. 5, which slides on a block 46, pivoted to the plate 39 by ascrew 47, so as to admit of the sliding and swinging motion necessary tocommunicate the fourway motion to the feed-dog. The arm 44 is connected,by means of a universal joint 48, to an upright rod 49, to which afour-way motion is communicated by mechanism to be hereinafterdescribed. Thecenterofthejoint48is on an angle offortyfive degrees withthe center of the pivot connecting the plate 38 and 39-that is,horizontal and vertical planes drawn through the center of said pivotwould be equally distant from the said joint 48. This is to allow theplate 39 and arm 44 to remain parallel when the said plate is swungupward. In the plate 38 is an opening 50, through which the rod 49passes.

Sliding in lugs or brackets 52 and 53 is a presser-foot bar 54. On` thehar 54 is a collar 55, and interposed between said collar and the lug 53is a coil-spring 56. Pivoted in the end of the bar 54 is a cam 57,provided with an arm 58. The cam 57 operates on the face of the lug 53to move the bar 54 longitudinally. A portion 60 of the presser-footprojects slightly beyond the face of the rest of the foot and isprovided with a concave face 6l, Fig. 7, correspondingr to the forni ofthe guide 43. y

In the part G() is an opening 62, through which the needle passes.Carried by the part GO is a folding attachment 63, which turns the edgeof the material 64 under, as shown in Fig. 8, asv it passes between theguide 43 and the face of the part 60. The portion 65 of the presser-footwhich opposes the feeddog 4l is pivoted at 66 to allow it to yieldindependently of the rest of the presser-foot and is held up to its`work by a spring G7.

68 is the slot in the throatplate (39= through which the needle passes.7l is the case of the shuttle mechanism, which maybe of any of the usualforms. 72 is the shaft driving the shuttle mechanism. On the shaft 72 isa cam-wheel 73,Which actuates an arm 74,whi'ch is pivoted at 75. The arm74 actuates a rod 76, sliding in .guides 77. The end of the rod 76 isbifurcated and has pivoted between its arms a block 78. (Shown in dottedlines in Fig. l0.) 79 is a bar, the end of which is bifurcated andembraces the block 78. The other end of the bar 79 is attached by auniversal joint 8O to an arm 8l, carried by a rock-shaft 82. Therock-shaft 82 is actuated by the usual mechanism. The rod 49 is attachedto the bar 79 at the point 83.

The needle 85 is formed, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the side of theneedle next the back guide is substantially a straight linethat is, thepoint of the needle instead of being in a line with the center of theneedle is on a line or nearly on a line with the side of the needle.

The operation of my machine is as follows: To insert the work, thepresser-foot is withdrawn from the back guide by means of the cam 57 andthe plate 39 swung upward on its pivot. The material to be operated onis then placedaround the back guide, the portion forming the hem beingunder the guide, and the edge is turned in at about the center of theface of the guide, as shown in Fig. 8. The plate 39 is now lowered andthe presser-foot released. As the work is fed through the machine thefolder 63 turns in the edge. The needle passes down through the opening62 alternately in the paths indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 8.This gives the form of stitch shown in Fig. 12. On account of thetapering form of the back guide the material is stretched tightly aroundthe same while it is being operated on by the needle, and hence the workis uniform and accurate. As the back guide is stationary duringoperation, work can be done on Very thin cloth and the machine can berun at a high rate of speed, neither of which results can beaccomplished by machines having the reciprocating or rotating guidesheretofore used. The operation of the machine is also made more perfectby the form of the needle used. The point of the needle must passthrough the center of the layer of goods next the guide, and if theordinary form of needle with the point on the center line were used thegoods would be wedged between the guide and the rounded portion of theneedle, with the result that thin goods would be cut through, so thatthe stitch would show. By placing the feed-dogentirelybehindtheguide,Where the stitching is done, it comes in contact with the goods afterthe layers are firmly joined together, and hence the danger of causingone layer to slip on the other and cause unevenness in the work isavoided. By placing the feed-dog on the lsame side of the goods as theback guide it does not come in contact with the stitches, whichotherwise might be injured by its action.

, twice through theouter layer. This will give the form of stitch shownin Fig. 13. i

I-Iaving fully described my invention, what I'claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent of the IUnited States, ise 1. In asewing-machine for blindstitching, suitable stitch forming mechanism, anormally stationary back guide for the Work,

said guide having its face rounded transversely to the direction ofthefeed, and means for feeding the material along said guide.

vsuitable `stitch-forming mechanism, a back guide for the Work having arounded tapering face,a means `for holding the work in position aroundsaid back guide.

4. `In a sewing-machine for blindstitching,

i suitable stitch-forming mechanism, a nor- `mally stationary back"guide for the work having a rounded/tapering face, and means for holdingthe work in position around saidv back guide.

\ 5. In a sewing-machine for blindstitching, suitable stitch-formingmechanism, aback e guide, and a foldingdevice for folding in thesuitable stitch-forming mechanism, a back4 edge of the work as it passesto thesaid back guide.

6. In a sewing-machine for blindstitching,

guide, a presser-foot for Vholding the work in position around said backguide, and a folding device carried by said presser-foot for folding inthe edge of the work as it passes to the said back guide.

7. In a sewing-machine for blindsti'tching, suitable stitch-formingmechanism, a back guide, means forholding the Work in position around`said back guide tangentiallyto the needle, and a feed-dog operatingbehind said back guide, whereby the Work is only acted upon bythefeed-dog after the layers are secured together by the stitchingmechanism.

8. In a sewing-machine for blindstitching,

i stitch-forming mechanism, a back guide,

means for holding the work in place against said back guide, and afeed-dog operating behind said back-guide and at the same side of thegoodsso that said feed-dog will not come in contact with the stitches,said feed-dog being arranged to feed the goods along said back guide.

9. In asewing-machine for blindstitching,

suitable stitch-forming mechanism, a back guide, a feed-dog, aspring-actuated member holding the work in place around the said backguide, and a member holding the Work up to said feed-dog, saidlatter-named member being capable of yielding independently of saidmember holding the work against the back guide.

10. InaseWing-machineforblindstitching,

stitch-forming mechanism, a back guide, a

feed-dog, and a presser-foot holding the Work in position against saidback guide and feeddog, thepart of said presser-foot opposing saidfeed-dog being arranged to yield independently of the rest of thepresser-foot.

l1. In aseWing-machine for blindstitching, a suitable back guide, meansfor holding the Work against said back guide,and stitch-formingmechanism, said stitch-forming mechanism being provided with a needlewhose point is substantially in a line with the side of the needlenearest the guide.

12. In a sewing-machine for blindstitching, y

a suitable back guide, means for holding the work against said backguide,and stitch-forming mechanism, said stitch-forming mechanism beingprovided with a needle whose point is between its center line and theback guide. 413. In asewing-machine for blindstitching, a guide, andastitch-forming mechanism provided with a reciprocating needle the pointof which in its travel past said guide is as near thereto as its side.14C. In a sewing-machine for blindstitching, a guide, and astitch-forming mechanism provided with a reciprocating needle the pointof which in its travel past said guide is nearer thereto than its centerline.

15. In a sewing-machine for blindstitching, a back guide, and astitch-forming mechanism provided with a reciprocating needle the pointof which in its travel past said guide isas near thereto as its side.16. In a sewing-machine for blindstitching, a back guide, and astitch-forming mechanism provided with a reciprocating needle the pointof which in its travel past said guide is nearer thereto than its centerline.

' 17. In a sewin g-machine for blindstitchin g, a back guide having arounded tapering face, means for holding the work in position againstsaid back guide, and stitch-forming mechanism, said stitch formingmechanism being lprovided with a needle whose point is be- IOO IIO

means for holding the Work around said back guide, and suitablestitch-forming mechanism.

20. In a sewing-machine for blindstitching, a normally stationary backguide, a pivotallymounted member carrying said back guide, a feed dogalso carried by said pivotallymounted member, means forholding the Workin position against said back guideand feeddog, and suitablestitch-forming mechanism.

21. In a sewing-machine for blindstitching, stitch-forming mechanism, aback guide having a rounded face, a presser-foot having al correspondingconcave face, and an opening in said presser-foot through which theneedle of said stitch-forming mechanism passes adjacent to said backguide.

22. In a sewing-machine for blindstitching, stitch-forming mechanism, aback guide having a rounded tapering face, a presser-foot foot, andmeans for imparting a four-Way motion to the other end of the arm.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and aixed my seal inthe presence 35 of the two subscribing Witnesses.

, JOHN G. LEWIS. [L. s] Witnesses:

JOHN F. GREEN, A. C. FOWLER. y

